Hood River County, OR Food Facility Permits & Fees
Restaurants and food trucks.
ORS 624.490 (License fees) sets the statewide restaurant/food-service license fee schedule; Oregon Health Authority Public Health Division is the licensing authority (OAR ch. 333). Local public health authorities administer/collect via intergovernmental agreement. · department site →
Fees change often — always confirm the current amount with the department before you budget.
Hood River County food-facility health permits run about $180–$770 annually, depending on size or sales volume. Confirm the exact amount with ORS 624.490 (License fees) sets the statewide restaurant/food-service license fee schedule; Oregon Health Authority Public Health Division is the licensing authority (OAR ch. 333). Local public health authorities administer/collect via intergovernmental agreement. before you budget.
Confirm the authority for your exact address. Some cities run their own health division, and building, planning, fire, sewer/grease and business-license approvals are separate even when ORS 624.490 (License fees) sets the statewide restaurant/food-service license fee schedule; Oregon Health Authority Public Health Division is the licensing authority (OAR ch. 333). Local public health authorities administer/collect via intergovernmental agreement. issues the health permit. Oregon sets food-establishment fees at the state level through ORS 624.490 (License fees) sets the statewide restaurant/food-service license fee schedule; Oregon Health Authority Public Health Division is the licensing authority (OAR ch. 333). Local public health authorities administer/collect via intergovernmental agreement., EXCEPT in counties/cities that run their own health department (which set their own fees). Confirm which applies to your exact address.
About 84 food & drinking establishments operate here, serving a population of about 23,745. (U.S. Census 2023 estimate; County Business Patterns 2022, NAICS 722)
Last verified: 2026-08-18 — we re-confirmed the serving authority, its contact, and that the fees below match the current published schedule. Fee schedules may carry an earlier effective date (shown per fee); local ordinances & amendments aren’t individually reviewed, so confirm current rules with the authority having jurisdiction.See something out of date? Report an update →
Restaurant / food-facility permit
Food establishment permit / license (state-set)
Restaurant by seating (ORS 624.490):
0-15 seats $530
16-50 seats $600
51-150 seats $700
more than 150 seats $770. Limited service restaurant $335
commissary $350
bed &
breakfast $200
warehouse $180/location
Set at the state level by ORS 624.490 (License fees) sets the statewide restaurant/food-service license fee schedule; Oregon Health Authority Public Health Division is the licensing authority (OAR ch; 333); Local public health authorities administer/collect via intergovernmental agreement; a single statewide fee schedule for counties without their own health department; Effective ORS 624.490 schedule current as of 2026 (statute; no explicit effective date in the section text)
Plan review — check locally
Not itemized as a fixed dollar amount in ORS 624.490
plan-review / operational-review fees are set by the local public health authority under OAR 333-012-0053
How inspection results are scored/posted here is pending verification — ask the department.
Food truck / mobile permit
Mobile food establishment (state-set)
Mobile unit $255 (temporary restaurant: single event $50
multi-day/intermittent/seasonal $75)
State-set mobile-food fee; confirm commissary and local requirements
How to apply
See the department site above.
Fees/payment and forms are on the department site; application steps vary by concept — see the checklist below.
How Hood River County’s permit cost compares
At about $180/year, Hood River County’s restaurant health permit is about the Oregon median ($180) and above the U.S. median ($125) — higher than about 69% of U.S. counties.
Ranked 12th-lowest of 35 Oregon counties by permit cost.
Comparison uses the lowest published annual restaurant-permit figure in each county; confirm your exact tier with the department.
Local food-service market
About 84 food & drinking establishments serve ~23,745 residents in Hood River County — one per ~283 residents, denser than the Oregon average (one per ~443).
U.S. Census 2023 population; County Business Patterns 2022 (NAICS 722).
Budget the permit stack
Start with ~$180 annual health permit.
Plus building, fire, and business-license fees that vary locally — use the cost calculators and the checklist below to budget the full stack.
Equipment your Hood River County plan review will check
Health-department plan review looks for specific, code-compliant fixtures. Compare spec-filtered options, then confirm counts and sizes with your local requirements. See the full list in what equipment a commercial kitchen requires.
This is a typical sequence — confirm the exact sequence with your authority having jurisdiction.
Confirm whether Hood River County or another local jurisdiction (city/district) handles your exact address.
Confirm zoning and permitted use.
Prepare your menu and scaled plans.
Include an equipment schedule with ANSI/NSF spec sheets.
Submit water-heater and hood documentation.
Pay plan-review fees.
Respond to plan-check corrections.
Obtain Environmental Health plan approval.
Obtain building, plumbing, mechanical and fire approvals.
Schedule rough-plumbing, pre-final and final health inspections.
Pay the operating-permit / application fees.
Receive approval before storing or preparing food.
Frequently asked questions
How much is a food permit in Hood River County?
Restaurant by seating (ORS 624.490): 0-15 seats $530; 16-50 seats $600; 51-150 seats $700; more than 150 seats $770. Limited service restaurant $335; commissary $350; bed & breakfast $200; warehouse $180/location These are annual health-permit fees, usually tiered by seating or size; confirm your exact category with the department.
Is plan review required in Hood River County?
Plan review may apply; check locally with the department. Typical fees: Not itemized as a fixed dollar amount in ORS 624.490; plan-review / operational-review fees are set by the local public health authority under OAR 333-012-0053
Do I need a commissary for a food truck in Hood River County?
In most cases, yes — most mobile units must operate from an approved commissary; confirm exemptions with the department. State-set mobile-food fee; confirm commissary and local requirements
Who issues food permits in Hood River County?
Food permits here are issued by ORS 624.490 (License fees) sets the statewide restaurant/food-service license fee schedule; Oregon Health Authority Public Health Division is the licensing authority (OAR ch. 333). Local public health authorities administer/collect via intergovernmental agreement.. See the department site for current details.
Are city building and fire approvals separate?
Yes — building, plumbing, mechanical and fire approvals are always separate from the health permit and are often handled by different offices.
Published by Resultex Media Group LLC · Independent & vendor-neutral · Educational only, not legal or engineering advice · Last verified September 2026